Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sheikh Zayed Cost of Living Comparison Between Lisbon and Sheikh Zayed

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,316 in Lisbon versus $479 in Sheikh Zayed.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,361 in Lisbon versus $820 in Sheikh Zayed.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,405 in Lisbon versus $1,160 in Sheikh Zayed.

Living in Lisbon is roughly 383% more expensive than in Sheikh Zayed, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lisbon is 69% above, Sheikh Zayed is 65% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.30 €14.89

$4.37 E£222

295.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.3 €54.4

$16.91 E£860

274.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.39 €9.80

$4.48 E£228

154.24%

Cappuccino

$3.19 €2.75

$1.37 E£69.5

132.85%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 €2.10

$0.34 E£17.30

620.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 €1.52

$0.15 E£7.44

1073.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 €3.09

$1.37 E£69.6

162.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 €2.92

$2.96 E£151

14.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 €1.06

$0.89 E£45.05

39.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 €1.71

$0.77 E£38.95

157.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 €1.31

$0.58 E£29.46

162.07%

Eggs

$4.04 €3.48

$1.22 E£62.0

231.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.54 €11.65

$3.95 E£201

242.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 €7.22

$4.43 E£225

89.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 €15.70

$9.35 E£476

95.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.29 €1.97

$1.62 E£82.3

41.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 €1.50

$0.74 E£37.40

135.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 €1.60

$0.54 E£27.47

244.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 €2.26

$0.35 E£18.03

651.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 €1.65

$0.25 E£12.60

668.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.09 €1.80

$0.31 E£15.57

574.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 €1.24

$0.29 E£14.83

396.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 €0.72

$0.22 E£11.41

281.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.78 €5.83

$1.68 E£85.5

303.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.71 €4.91

$5.88 E£299

-2.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 €1.18

$0.93 E£47.50

48.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 €1.91

$2.67 E£136

-16.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.40 €2.06

$0.29 E£14.57

727.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$46.78 €40.25

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 €3.59

$0.54 E£27.46

672.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 €0.98

$0.43 E£21.80

165.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.68 €15.21

$1.95 E£99.2

806.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.32 €2.00

$0.41 E£20.65

465.85%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.3K €30.4K

$31.9K E£1.6M

10.84%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$41.4K €35.7K

$28.9K E£1.5M

43.39%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$170 €147

$14.49 E£737

1075.50%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$19.34 €16.64

$7.51 E£382

157.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.64 €28.95

$13.59 E£691

147.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.10 €41.39

$39.87 E£2,029

20.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.90 €17.12

$9.58 E£487

107.72%

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 €8.54

$2.91 E£148

240.89%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$717 €617

$85.8 E£4,365

736.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K €15.0K

$2,121 E£107.9K

723.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$105 €90.2

$33.62 E£1,711

211.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.95 €40.40

$45.30 E£2,305

3.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 €89.0

$124 E£6,322

-16.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 €107

$53.7 E£2,733

130.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 €1,443

$196 E£9,954

756.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,271 €1,094

$79.3 E£4,037

1501.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,985 €2,568

$516 E£26.3K

478.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,992 €1,715

$197 E£10.0K

910.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,826 €6,734

$1,093 E£55.6K

615.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,658 €4,008

$597 E£30.4K

680.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 €1,362

$136 E£6,900

1067.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.79

21.33

-82.23%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Lisbon: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sheikh Zayed: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,677 in Lisbon and $196 in Sheikh Zayed. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lisbon pays 1067% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $63.0 in Lisbon vs $17.00 in Sheikh Zayed for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $129 per month, with Sheikh Zayed cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Lisbon vs Sheikh Zayed: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lisbon and Sheikh Zayed differ by about 383% in total monthly costs ($2,316 vs $479 including rent). Sheikh Zayed is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1067% higher in Lisbon, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,677 in Lisbon versus $196 in Sheikh Zayed. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 119% higher in Lisbon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,316 per month in Lisbon versus $479 in Sheikh Zayed – a 383% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $479 in Sheikh Zayed versus $2,316 in Lisbon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sheikh Zayed but tight or insufficient in Lisbon. The gap between the two cities makes Sheikh Zayed the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lisbon and Sheikh Zayed are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Sheikh Zayed gentler on the wallet – expenses run 383% less than in Lisbon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.